Loveland, Ohio – As the water fun season is upon us, we are taking this opportunity to aggressively remind our Loveland-Symmes community, along with the greater Cincinnati area of the critical importance of water safety awareness and children.
Watch this important message from Deputy Fire Chief Billy Goldfeder of the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department.
Goldfeder delivered this message immediately after Six-year-old Holden Patrick Smith receives honor and becomes the youngest Loveland-Symmes firefighter for saving the life of his cousin. Read that story HERE.
During this past year, I took on the challenge of teaching a remote section of first grade for Loveland Schools. To date, this has been the most difficult work situation that I have faced as a teacher during my twenty-three-year career. I started the school year with 38 first graders. Just that hurdle alone made this an imposing task from the start. I remember thinking to myself, “How will I ever be able to deliver meaningful instruction to that many six and seven-year-olds? How will I establish a relationship with each one of them? What if I let my students down?”
My remote teaching team and I immediately had to dig in and make this work for our students. I quickly figured out how to manage thirty-plus students on Zoom calls during the day and created a daily schedule. I did my best to find helpful answers to parent questions and concerns, even though I often didn’t have the answers because so much of what we were doing was new to us all. As the first few weeks turned into the first month of remote learning, I found my way and admitted to my parents that I may not have all the answers about all the new challenges of this unique school year, but what I do know about is the development of six and seven-year-olds. So I asked for their trust. And the rest, as they say, is history.
After many afternoons and nights of stress and reinventing my practices to meet the needs of the situation, I pulled up my bootstraps and really dug into the school year. I had a job to do and my students deserved and needed my very best. I became the technology and wifi expert at my home, I figured out routines such as bi-weekly supply pick-ups; monthly drive-ups at my home for treats, crafts, and encouragement; and I came up with a working schedule that would not overwhelm our district’s young remote learners – or their parents or caretakers, with whom I recognized the need to partner with more than ever. As the year progressed, I had many students transition back to in-person school and from late winter to the end of the school year, I had eighteen students.
I can say with confidence that my students had a wonderful and meaningful learning experience this school year. My parents, students and I worked hard to create a caring and respectful online learning environment. On any given day on any given zoom call, my students and I could be found laughing and learning and being silly. We knew the names of each other’s pets, siblings, and other family members. We even knew what everyone had for lunch. Simply put, we were a learning community and, by extension, a family.
I invited my families to drive by my home in Loveland every month of this past school year so that we could say “hi” in person. I usually had a small treat for them, and I collected a lot of notes, cards, and flowers through the windows of their cars. Those drive-thrus proved to be one of the highlights of our school year together. A few even left me in tears afterward as I realized how awesome we all had made a difficult situation. To be honest, it was a great relief and extra rewarding to find that we could still have such a strong, supportive, and caring learning community in the midst of a pandemic while doing remote school from home. We celebrated birthdays, holidays, and milestones together such as the 50th and 100th days of school. During the Spring we celebrated being reunited with family members and friends as vaccines became available. And on a daily basis, we celebrated each other’s reading, writing, and goals scored over the weekend at soccer. And of course, lost teeth and new haircuts.
As I look back on our school year, I can safely say that we all had a wonderful school experience. Somewhere in between bad wifi connections and reminding them to “unmute,” all of our wrinkles and rough spots were smoothed over. My hope for my remote students is that when they look back on being a kid many years from now, that some of our memories will be there for them and spark joy. Maybe they will remember our renditions of the Gingerbread Man through reader’s theater. Or maybe the puppet shows put on with their siblings as they retold a story via video. Or maybe it was the simple joy of buddy-reading with a friend in a Zoom breakout room. I know for me, when I look back on this school year, I will remember the faces that greeted me each day with a smile during this pandemic and the trust they had in me all along.
To My Stay at Homies: Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for believing in yourselves. Thank you for always having a smile on your face even when you didn’t want to be on a Zoom Call. Thank you for letting me into your home each day. Thank you for sharing your funny stories and jokes with me. Thank you for finding humor in something each and every day. Thank you for laughing at how silly Frog and Toad were with me. Thank you for always asking how I was doing. Thank you for being my anchor during a tough and sometimes sad time. Thank you for being you.
I love all of you and I can’t wait for more hugs and to see you at LPS in August.
Loveland, Ohio – Downtown Historic Loveland welcomed TAHONA Kitchen + Bar on July 13th just in time for Taco Tuesday! TAHONA Kitchen + Bar specializes in Mexican Street Style Food and “TAHONA” style Tequila.
TAHONA Kitchen + Bar, which is a part of a local successful chain of restaurants called Looking Glass Hospitality, opened its first location in 2017 in Summit Park in Blue Ash. TAHONA, meaning “the large stone wheel that is used to crush the roasted hearts of agave known as piñas into a fermentable mash,” uses only the freshest produce and slow-roasted meats as well as freshly squeezed juices and homemade ingredients for their cocktails.
Prior to TAHONA Loveland’s grand opening, Scott Schmidt, Founder of Looking Glass Hospitality, invited Loveland Magazine to take a tour of the newly renovated TAHONA Loveland, located at 117 Karl Brown Way. Schmidt indulged us in an exclusive on-camera interview explaining just why TAHONA is the home of the Walking Taco and what the “time-honored TAHONA technique” entails when producing their Patron Roca Silver Tequila for their infamous TAHONA Margarita.
From the TAHONA Pineapple Mango Guacamole to the Vegetable Marinated Tofu Corn Taco to the legendary Donut Holes; TAHONA has a little something for everyone! Did I mention they specialize in Tequila inspired cocktails like “The TAHONA” (made with homemade ginger syrup), “The Granada Mojito,” and of course Fruit Margaritas? TAHONA also serves a twist on an Old Fashioned called “Clyborne’s Peach Old-Fashioned,” which is to die for!
After speaking with Schmidt and hearing all about the mouthwatering menu I knew I had to try out TAHONA immediately so myself, David Miller (LM Editor), and my boyfriend, Adam Ploof, headed down to TAHONA Blue Ash to try out the menu. We were unbelievably pleased with the atmosphere, the food, and the cocktails!
Shortly after my TAHONA Blue Ash experience, myself and David were cordially invited to a “sneak peek” dinner at TAHONA Loveland, which took place on Saturday, July 10th. We were thrilled to get the opportunity to see the new TAHONA location and of course we were happy to eat more tacos! David and I were able to bring along 3 guests to try out TAHONA Loveland on Saturday night and let me tell you our guests were happy to accept the invitation!
The TAHONA Loveland experience ended up being incredible! The street-style Mexican restaurant definitely succeeded in proving why it is the perfect addition to the Downtown Loveland food culture. I was so impressed by both TAHONA locations that I decided to create a video capturing both experiences on my YouTube Channel, Beast Mode With Cassie! Click the video below to see my “TAHONA Kitchen + Bar Experience!”
If you missed out on my one-on-one on-camera interview inside TAHONA Loveland with Looking Glass Hospitality Founder Scott Schmidt, click the Loveland Magazine TV video below!
To stay up to date on all things TAHONA Loveland follow them on FaceBook. For TAHONA Blue Ash updates follow their FaceBook page.
For more updates on Loveland’s new restaurant openings and food culture stay tuned to Cassie The Food Guru!
Loveland, Ohio – “No words can describe how deeply touched and grateful I am that David gave me the opportunity to fulfill my Journalism dreams at Loveland Magazine. The fact that at the age of 31 I can proudly say I am the Co-Owner of a newspaper that has been around for 18 years is truly amazing,” said Cassie Mattia.
Mattia as a six-year-old had a passion to be a writer. Her love for the written word along with pursuing and achieving college degrees in Journalism, Business, and English led her to reach yet another milestone on June 25th; when she became an “Equal Co-Owner” of Loveland Magazine.
It was 3-years-ago on July 9, 2018, when Cassie sent Loveland Magazine owner, David Miller, an email that introduced herself. It read in part, “One day I was running and I passed the Loveland Magazine location and immediately got excited as I thought this could be an opportunity to display my writing skills! I am not sure if you guys are hiring or not but I thought I would send an email displaying my interest in possibly doing some freelancing or anything you had available. I want so badly to share my writing with others and I do believe this may be a good opportunity to do so!”
Loveland Magazine founder David Miller signed a Co-Equal Partner Agreement at Ramsey’s Trailside on June 25th with Cassie Mattia.
“It was an absolutely beautiful Summer morning when I received Cassie’s email and I thought, why not get out of the office for a change and enjoy spending a few moments outside,” Loveland Magazine’s Founder and Editor, David Miller said, “I invited Cassie to have coffee in Historic Downtown Loveland at the Loveland Sweets Shop.”
Within moments Cassie jumped at the invite. Even though she was in the middle of her morning workout she accepted the invitation, and soon after Miller arrived and sat down under a sidewalk umbrella. “Mattia was walking across West Loveland Avenue a little disheveled because she interrupted her daily morning workout to meet me,” Miller said.
That meeting quickly led to a photoshoot and a column branding for Mattia. “Time for Loveland Salad with Cassie Mattia” was created. In this column, Mattia could write and report on a wide variety of stories about Loveland. Cassie soon became a paid writer and our Associate Editor. She then was promoted to Account Executive, which entailed managing Loveland Magazine’s advertisers. Recently Mattia was given the title Director of Marketing to better reflect her current advertising duties.
“I had thought for a long time about how to reward Cassie for her dedication and the skill set she brought to our newspaper and concluded she should be part owner,” said Miller. “After drafting an ownership agreement, asking her if she was interested, and after looking much closer at it, I became increasingly uncomfortable with the 60/40 percent owner relationship I was proposing. I thought, what am I trying to hold onto and control by making her a minority partner?”
Miller redrafted the agreement into a Co-Equal Partner Agreement. For Miller, it wasn’t about sharing future profit, it was about Mattia gaining equal control and decision-making power. “It is a true model of how I believe an employee-owned business should be run,” Miller said.
“I have wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember and have done whatever it takes to get to where I want to be in the world of Journalism. I have experienced so many things over the years in this field, but nothing compares to my time with Loveland Magazine,” said Mattia after signing the contract.
“I am beyond proud that Loveland now has a newspaper co-owned by a woman and the unique perspective it will bring to how news is reported here. Readers should feel more confident that Loveland Magazine will report the news and select the stories and interviews we publish, from a broader, more diverse, and younger point of view,” Miller added.
Mattia is Loveland Magazine’s on-air personality who does most of the on-camera interviews, live streaming, and writes feature stories. The “What’s In Loveland’s DNA,” “Sports 411,” and “Cassie The Food Guru” storylines were created to showcase her talent. “Cassie is multi-lingual in what seems like all cultural-cuisines,” said co-owner Miller.
Cassie Mattia and Loveland Magazine founder David Miller signed a Co-Equal Partner Agreement at Ramsey’s Trailside on June 25.
Since Mattia has joined the Loveland Magazine team she has been nominated for several of the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance’s local business awards each year. “The award we received from the Ohio High School Athletic Association for ‘Sportsmanship, Ethics, and Integrity in 2020 was in large part a credit to Cassie’s contributions,” said Miller.
Mattia said, “I could have never imagined having my own columns, conducting on-camera interviews, creating feature stories, commentating big events like ‘Rolling Mondays’ and ‘Loveland’s 4th of July Parade,’ and getting nominated for so many awards for my work.”
After taking a couple of days to process that she now was a Co-Owner of what she described as “an unbelievable publication”, Mattia said, “It’s been an absolute dream come true.” She thanked Miller for being her support system and teaching her so many things about Journalism. She also expressed gratitude to all the area residents, Loveland Magazine readers, business owners, and city leaders for supporting her work. She continued, “I want to thank all of those who gave me internships when no one else would because I didn’t have ‘enough experience.’ I want to thank my teachers and professors who inspired and pushed me to keep on writing. I want to thank my basketball, track and field, and cross country coaches for instilling in me great work ethic and determination. I want to thank my boyfriend for encouraging me and putting up with my crazy schedule, and last but not least I want to thank my family, without you I would not be who I am today.”
“Loveland Magazine hopes to always thrive in and contribute to a nurturing environment for Loveland, one of equality and empathy. Cassie Mattia’s love for our community and its people will certainly keep us moving in that direction,” Miller said. “Her positivity and compassion are contagious.”
“I can’t wait to see what David and I continue to create and achieve for Loveland Magazine. Loveland, you really are the Sweetheart of Ohio and I promise to continue filling the community with love and of course writing and reporting the absolute best stories I can,” Mattia said when asked about Loveland Magazine’s future.
About Loveland Magazine
Loveland Magazine LLC is locally and independently owned with offices in Loveland, Ohio… where we live. Before Loveland Magazine was published in 2004 it had been nearly four decades since Loveland had a locally owned newspaper.
Our bias is towards being socially progressive, and fiscally conservative when fiscal policies bend towards equality and serving the members of society on the lowest rung.
We believe in a Loveland that represents a future made from the beliefs of its passionate, innovative thinkers who love this town so much they spend a considerable amount of their own time trying to make it the absolute best place to live in the entire world.
Since 2004, it has been the mission of Loveland Magazine to be a platform so that those ideas and dreams can be shared wide and far throughout our hometown until they become our reality.
In 2008, Loveland Magazine was awarded the prestigious, Booth Spirit Media Award, beating out all other media stations in the tri-state. Loveland Magazine is “a premier local online news outlet.”
In February Loveland Magazine’s Editor in Chief, David Miller was notified by the Ohio High School Athletic Association that he had been selected for the 2020 Media Award. In 1991, the Ohio High School Athletic Association initiated the Sportsmanship, Ethics, and Integrity Program. One aspect of the program was to honor those “special individuals” who bring great recognition to our high schools, coaches, and especially, our athletes through media’s different forms. Tim Stried, OHSAA’s Director of Communications said at the time, “I first got to know David in 2013 when Loveland made its run to the 2013 Division II football state championship,” Stried said, “I read much of his coverage of the team in the playoffs and I remember his excitement and professionalism covering the team in Canton for the state championship game.”
At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Ohio Newspapers Association on October 11, 2013, Loveland Magazine was voted into membership.
Loveland Magazine was the first “digital-only member” of The Ohio Newspaper Association
The Ohio Newspaper Association (ONA) was established in 1933 and is the trade association for more than 250 Ohio daily and weekly newspapers. Their membership includes The Columbus Dispatch, Plain Dealer, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal, Dayton Daily News, and The Toledo Blade.
ONA is now the Ohio News Media Association. The association administers a full program of member services that include: government relations and lobbying, publications, seminars, and employee training, legal assistance, group insurance, and advertising services.
Loveland Magazine is also a member of the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association. Founded in 1972, the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association works to support and enhance the coverage of high school sports in Ohio and to recognize superior writing among sports journalists.
Each citizen in Loveland makes up an important piece of the community, but in saying that it’s up to the citizen as to what they do with their role as an important piece of that community. This is what makes up a community’s “D.N.A.”
Over the past three years, Loveland Magazine has been in search of community members that truly play an important role in Loveland’s D.N.A.
Cassie Mattia
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – One of the best Loveland High School Track and Field athletes of all time achieved a student athlete’s ultimate dream…a ticket to compete collegiately!
Recently graduated, Miya Brines will be training as a Heptathlete at the University of Iowa proving to her teammates, coaches, and fans something they knew all along; she has a bright future filled with more Track and Field milestones ahead of her. There’s no denying that Brines will go down in Tiger history making her a part of “What’s In Loveland’s D.N.A!”
Fellow track star Mikayla Loomis joined the interview with Miya. Loomis will enter her Senior year at Loveland High School.
Brines grew up in Loveland and began her love for Track and Field in Junior High School. Both her parents, Chad and Lisa, and coaches immediately saw that Brines was going to excel in Track and Field as her ability was already above and beyond athletes competing against her. As Brines continued to dedicate herself to fine-tuning her god-given ability, LHS’s Track and Field coaches knew they were about to encounter one special individual as she entered into her Freshman year as a Tiger.
The LHS coaches and Brines parents couldn’t have been more right as in 2018 Brines achieved 1st Team All-ECC (Eastern Cincinnati Conference) in the 4×100 meter relay. As Brines became more experienced and dove even deeper into training, she began to hit goals that she would’ve never dreamed of achieving! In 2019, Brines was awarded 1st Team All-ECC in the long jump, made it to the State Meet in the 100-meter hurdles breaking the school record that was previously held in 2016 with a time of 14.70 seconds. Brines coaches and teammates were not only impressed but were also inspired as Brines’ ability to be a team leader went beyond anyone’s expectations causing her other teammates to thrive in their own Track and Field events.
After the interview Miya was given a hurdle gate-board with a brass plaque commemorating her school records in the 100 Meter High Hurdles, Long Jump, and High Jump.
Right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 Brines qualified for Indoor Track and Field Nationals in the 60-meter hurdles, long jump, and the 4×200 meter relay. Unfortunately, Nationals ended up being canceled leaving Brines frustrated but motivated to achieve even more her Senior year at LHS.
This year Brines made her mark in Tiger history! She not only broke her own record in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.39 seconds but also broke the high jump school record that was previously held in 2016 with a jump of 5 feet 6.5 inches. Her successful Senior season led her to take the top spot in the ECC in 5 categories; the 100-meter dash (12.32 seconds), the 200-meter dash (25.27 seconds), the 100-meter hurdles (14.39 seconds), the high jump (5’06.50), and the long jump (17’10.05). Brines also achieved a spot on Ohio MileSplit for Division 1 ranking 14th in the 100-meter dash, 8th in the 200-meter dash, 3rd in the 100-meter hurdles, 2nd in the high jump, and 6th in the long jump.
With all of Brines unbelievable achievements, leadership skills (even while having to sit out the rest of her Senior season due to a grade 3 stress injury/reaction in her tibia and fibula), as well as her ability to overcome the most challenging hurdles, there’s no doubt that Brines has claimed her spot as a part of Loveland’s D.N.A!
— Loveland Girls Track (@TrackLoveland) June 1, 2019
After writing about Miya multiple times over the past few years and receiving a very touching email from her father Chad I just knew that we had to do a special on-camera interview featuring Miya, her coaches, and one of her closest teammates, Mikayla Loomis.
So without much further ado here is another rendition of “What’s In Loveland’s D.N.A” featuring LHS Track and Field superstar, Miya Brines in an exclusive Loveland Magazine TV on-camera interview!
Our Girls team back at it again today. This time at Princeton HS. Miya Brines stating us off. Go Tigers! pic.twitter.com/xfkjkAcjM9
Cassie Mattia’s Latest Loveland Salad includes all of Downtown’s 4th of July Festivities!
by Cassie Mattia,
Loveland, Ohio – The streets of Loveland were filled with patriotism as the community gathered around to enjoy one phenomenal 2021 Independence Day Celebration in the heart of Downtown!
Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Loveland’s 4th of July celebration was canceled so many Americans across Cincinnati missed out on celebrating America’s birthday Loveland-style. In preparation for this year’s celebration, many didn’t know what to expect, but as the 4th of July drew nearer one thing became clear; friends, families, and community members wanted to bring in Independence Day together with a bang. That couldn’t have been more true as the Loveland 2021 4th of July celebration kicked off at Noon and the sea of red, white, and blue filled Downtown Historic Loveland.
The beautiful sunny day was filled with activities, local vendor booths, food trucks, live music, and rides for the kids. At 4 PM Nisbet Park hosted the “Kids Zone,” which included exotic animals on display, potato sack races, martial arts, face painting, jugglers on stilts, the Loveland Robotics Team, pirates, inflatables, festival rides, and much more!
There was of course no shortage of food and drinks as the local food trucks rolled into Downtown Loveland at 4 PM as well. Crowds of festive Americans had the choice of lining up to receive ice cream from the Loveland Dairy Whip, 4th of July grill out cuisine from The Right Stuff Grill, delicious Southeast Asian-style food from the Sea Cuisine Food Truck, unique burgers and sandwiches from Stellar Street Eats, on-the-spot homemade lemonade at The Lemonade Stand, or a mouth-watering smoothie from The Smoothie King Food Truck.
As civilians ventured down the Loveland Bike Trail live patriotic music filled the air, creating an unbelievable atmosphere throughout Downtown Loveland. Russel Kuzuhara performed at Jackson Street Market as adults enjoyed nice cold beverages from the beer booth. Later the Bluewater Kings Band took the stage at the Nisbet Park Amphitheater as friends and families danced to the high-energy 6 piece ensemble.
The featured event of the night was the Loveland Parade, which brought in hundreds of Americans from all over the Cincinnati area just to catch a glimpse of patriotism in its best form! As local organizations, businesses, churches, Disney Princesses, circus performers, the LPD, the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department, and city officials made their way down West Loveland Avenue in their decked-out Americana vehicles kids lined the streets with their families for candy, popsicles, and even toothbrushes tossed out by those in the parade. The atmosphere couldn’t have been more perfect for those that attended and of course, the community felt more united than ever before!
I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to commentate the entire parade while Loveland Magazine’s Editor, David Miller, streamed all of the action on Facebook Live for those who wanted to enjoy the Loveland Parade from their homes or vacation spots.
If you missed out on the 2021 4th of July Loveland Parade check out part 1 and part 2 of Loveland Magazine TV’s Facebook Live footage below!
As the sunset on Downtown Loveland, people began to claim their front row seats to the Annual Loveland Firework Show that started promptly at 10 PM. The firework show didn’t disappoint as friends and families camped out on blankets and lawn chairs while staring into the beautifully lit sky! Loveland’s Independence Day celebration ended with a firework grand finale that left those who were watching with an overwhelming feeling of love for America and the Americans surrounding them.
If you weren’t able to catch Loveland’s 2021 4th of July festivities, check out the videos below captured by David Miller on Loveland Magazine TV and the photos taken by Alex Eicher and Bob Kessler!
Loveland 4th of July Firework Photos by Alex Eicher
Check out these videos taken by David Miller on Loveland Magazine TV from Loveland’s Independence Day Celebration!
Loveland 4th of July Firework Photos by Bob Kessler
Loveland, Ohio – It was a beautiful Summer night at the first installment of Bands and Brews in the heart of Downtown Historic Loveland last Saturday!
Families and friends grabbed their lawn chairs, blankets, and their favorite beverage and gathered around the Fountain Greene as they enjoyed live entertainment by the Counting Skeletons and Everything’s Jake.
The fun-filled night kicked off at 6 PM with the Counting Skeletons performing their personal “Dance-able Rock” favorites. As Bone Head, Bon “E” Phish, Phred “Big Bones” McAllister, Skeleton Keys, Jon Bone-m, and Dead Ear got the crowd rocking and rolling kids from the surrounding families joined the Skeletons on stage showing off with their best dance moves!
Check out the video below that I took of the Counting Skeletons rocking out with the community’s kids!
After the Counting Skeletons finished their set, the crowd intermingled with one another as many members of the community had not seen each other since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Next on the entertainment line-up was Everything’s Jake featuring the trio of Ben Duke, Joe Cremeans, and Marianne Puntenney. The community of music lovers grabbed their beverages from the President of the Little Miami Chamber of Alliance, Cee Cee Collins, and intern, Amanda Fox, and once again gathered around for one heck of a show!
Everything’s Jake ended the night with a bang playing everything from R&B to Blues to Pop. As everyone swayed and grooved to the sweet harmonies of Everything’s Jake it was clear that the first rendition of Bands and Brews was a Summer success!
Check out the video below captured by Loveland Magazine Publisher David Miller of Everything’s Jake!
Bands and Brews 2021 will be going on every month throughout the Summer from 6 PM-10 PM on the Fountain Greene in Downtown Historic Loveland. The next installment will be on July 3rd and will feature Model Behavior.
Loveland, Ohio – The Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for Thursday, June 17, for the Loveland Area.
The Agency expects to see levels of ozone in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” range on the Air Quality Index (AQI).
Active children and adults, and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion.
Clicking the image below will show you the current air quality 24/7 in Loveland. This image is always on our Front Page, so it can also be accessed 24/7.
Do Your Share! Take these steps:
• Take the bus, carpool, bike or walk instead of driving • Refuel your vehicle after 8 p.m.; do not top off when refueling and tighten the gas cap • Avoid idling your vehicle • Combine trips or eliminate unnecessary vehicle trips • Keep your vehicle maintained with properly inflated tires and timely oil changes • Avoid use of gasoline-powered lawn equipment on Air Quality Advisory days • Avoid use of oil-based paints and stains on Air Quality Advisory days • Never burn leaves or other yard trimmings • Always burn clean, seasoned wood in outdoor fire pits, fireplaces and wood stoves • Do not use fire pits or fireplaces for non-essential home heating on Air Quality Advisory days • Conserve electricity
Loveland, Ohio – The time has come for Downtown Historic Loveland to welcome a brand new restaurant just in time for Summer. Introducing TAHONA Kitchen + Bar inspired by Mexican Street Style Food and “TAHONA” style Tequila!
TAHONA Kitchen + Bar, which is a part of a local successful chain of restaurants called Looking Glass Hospitality, opened its first location in 2017 in Summit Park in Blue Ash. TAHONA, meaning “the large stone wheel that is used to crush the roasted hearts of agave known as piñas into a fermentable mash,” uses only the freshest produce and slow-roasted meats as well as freshly squeezed juices and homemade ingredients for their cocktails.
Scott Schmidt, Founder of Looking Glass Hospitality, invited Loveland Magazine to take a tour of the newly renovated TAHONA Loveland, located at 117 Karl Brown Way, which is set to open on July 13th. Schmidt indulged us in an exclusive on-camera interview explaining just why TAHONA is the home of the Walking Taco and what the “time-honored TAHONA technique” entails when producing their Patron Roca Silver Tequila for their infamous TAHONA Margarita. From the TAHONA Pineapple Mango Guacamole to the Vegetable Marinated Tofu Corn Taco to the legendary Donut Holes; TAHONA has a little something for everyone! Did I mention they specialize in Tequila inspired cocktails like “The TAHONA” (made with homemade ginger syrup), “The Granada Mojito,” and of course Fruit Margaritas? TAHONA also serves a twist on an Old Fashioned called “Clyborne’s Peach Old-Fashioned,” which is to die for!
After speaking with Schmidt and hearing all about the mouthwatering menu I knew we had to try out TAHONA immediately so myself, David Miller (LM Editor in Chief), and my boyfriend, Adam Ploof, headed down to TAHONA Blue Ash to try out the menu. We were so unbelievably pleased with the atmosphere, the food, and the cocktails that we decided to share our experience with you in addition to my interview with Mr. Schmidt!
Without further ado, I bring to you Cassie The Food Guru’s TAHONA experience including a one-on-one on-camera interview with Founder Scott Schmidt and a food photo album of our dinner at TAHONA Blue Ash!
While you wait for TAHONA Kitchen + Bar Loveland’s Grand Opening you can watch their progress on FaceBook. In the meantime see what’s happening at their location in Summit Park in Blue Ash.
For more of Loveland’s new restaurant openings and food culture stay tuned to Cassie The Food Guru!
Greater Cincinnati – Free Tax Prep will continue through summer for those who have yet to file. United Way volunteers will help filers reclaim stimulus dollars, the advanced Child Tax Credit payments and other credits. Summer site locations can be found at www.uwgc.org or by calling 211. File online for free at myfreetaxes.com.
Those with low to moderate incomes who live in the Greater Cincinnati area qualify. In limited cases, income restrictions may apply based on total income and family size. This year presented challenges, from extending the filing deadline to changes in rules due to 95 percent of low-income households suffered and layoff or income loss in 2020.
United Way partners with the Internal Revenue Service and many local organizations that host sites. United Way volunteers help those sites run smoothly.
United Way of Greater Cincinnati saved local taxpayers $2 million in filing fees and helped them obtain $10 million in refunds this tax season through its Free Tax Prep program.
More than 300 volunteers helped file nearly 6,800 tax returns.
“United Way is focused on the financial well-being of local residents and this program not only helps them save fees, but it ensures they receive their full refunds,” said Moira Weir, president and CEO of United Way. “They’ve earned it with their hard work; our volunteers are committed to making sure they get it.”
Donald Albright, who works as a courier and has relied on Free Tax Prep for 10-plus years, was among the taxpayers at the Madisonville site expressing gratitude. “They are extremely nice,” he said. “They seem to be extremely knowledgeable. That’s what keeps bringing me back—the comfort level.”
Each filer saves approximately $300 in prep fees. Tax professionals ensure those who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit receive their full refund and, this year, make sure they claim 2020 stimulus payments.
“I enjoy numbers and just wanted to help out,” Albert said. “It’s rewarding when a person says ‘thank you’ and acknowledges that you’re helping them out.”
